Series equalizer fires up Road Warriors vs Tropang Giga

MANILA, Philippines -- NLEX's series-tying win against defending champion TNT is a "confidence builder" for the team moving forward, head coach Jong Uichico said.

Uichico and NLEX escaped the Tropang Giga, 93-90, in a wild finish Friday night at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex.

TNT had numerous chances to tie the game down the stretch, but the ball eventually bounced the way of the Road Warriors, who avoided a 0-2 hole in their PBA Governors' Cup best-of-five quarterfinal series.

After the game, Uichico said the close win is a great morale booster for the squad.

"It's a confidence-builder for us, knowing that we can keep up with TNT who is the No. 1 team. Yun lang yun," he told reporters at the postgame press conference.

"It gives us some confidence that we've got a shot at this series. The rest is not under our control anymore. The belief that we got a shot, importante na yun e," he added.

NLEX held a five-point lead, 92-87, with 24 seconds remaining after a pair of free throws by DeQuan Jones.

In the next possession, TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was fouled. He made the first to cut the lead to four, 88-92, but missed the second and he got the offensive rebound.

The ball went to the hands of Jayson Castro, who also missed from the 4-point territory.

Again, the foreign reinforcement was able to carom the offensive board. He was then fouled from 4-point area with about three seconds remaining.

He sank the first two free throws, but missed the final two.

A split from the line by Javee Mocon iced the game, 93-90, as a Hail Mary by Glenn Khobuntin came up short.

"I don't remember. I don't remember what happened. I can't recall. All I know is it was hard. For both teams, we really had to grind for every point in every possession. Nakita naman natin yun," Uichico said.

"But we made big shots, DeQuan made big shots, Robert [Bolick] got to the paint so many things can happen. We had to do so many things in defense just for us to get ourselves in the game. The players did the best they could, they stayed in the game just enough to get this victory," he added.

Jones, for his part, said that the win showed the resiliency the team built in previous close games.

"Those experiences, they built up overtime and creates a degree of resilience and degree of poise and all of that was on display this time."

Both teams are aiming to go an step closer to the semifinals and grab the pivotal 2-1 lead when they face each other anew on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.